Senior All-American Matt Nagel has been there and back. When he arrived on campus in the late summer of 2001, he was joining a wrestling program that had just reached the pinnacle of collegiate wrestling. But for Nagel and his 10 fellow freshmen, they weren’t the ones coming off a national championship. They were the new guys in town, prepared to make their own impact on the top wrestling program in the country.
Fast forward five years and all that is left of that class is Nagel. The Frazee, Minn., native understands how difficult it is to last in collegiate wrestling. Some guys quit to focus on their studies, while some guys go elsewhere to find their own niche in another program. Some just simply leave. Nagel understands how far he has come.
“Some people don’t realize how difficult it is to keep up with a Division I program,” Nagel said. “It’s pretty easy to understand though when you look at how many seniors we have or other teams have. I take a lot of pride in still being here, although I do wish it would have worked out differently for the others. It takes a lot of hard work and being able to stick with it. That’s why I’m here.”
Nagel’s story is pretty well known. As a freshman, the 157-pounder was asked to fill in at 174 and 184 pounds. His sophomore year marked his arrival on the national scene as he moved back to 157 pounds. Nagel would finish fifth at the Big Ten Championships and advance to his first national tournament.
Last year marked an even greater improvement. Now competing at his ideal weight of 165, Nagel placed third at Big Tens and advanced to his second straight NCAA Championship with one clear-cut goal. After dropping a narrow 2-1 decision to Nebraska’s Jacob Klein, he put together a remarkable run through the consolation round. Going for his third straight win, Nagel avenged an earlier loss with a 2-1 decision against eighth-seeded Travis Paulson of Iowa State. That victory ensured that whenever Matt Nagel’s name was found in print, it would be preceded by All-American.
“To win that match against a guy that I hadn’t beaten was very special,” Nagel said. “Once you become an All-American, you really start to appreciate all of the hard work and effort that goes into this sport.”
This season began on an even higher note for the former five-time Minnesota state champion. Nagel was selected to serve as captain with fellow All-American Cole Konrad. Their charge was an important one. Lead a team dominated by underclassmen back to the top of collegiate wrestling. Consider that mission”¦.half done.
Nagel and his Golden Gophers have been the talk of the wrestling world with their start to the 2005-06 season. Minnesota is 12-0-0 and thanks in part to its performance last week at the National Duals, has climbed atop the national polls for the first time since Nagel was a redshirt freshman.
“I think it’s awesome to be where we are,” Nagel said. “I was able to be part of the team that won a national championship (while redshirting). Now I get a chance to see what it’s like to be on top. That’s why I came here. To be part of team that can be number one in the country and has a chance to be a national championship team.”
While the team sits at No. 1 right now, it will take more leadership from the guys that have been there to reach the ultimate goal. Nagel understands his limitations as a leader. He hasn’t won a national championship like a Damion Hahn or been a dominant heavyweight the past three seasons like a Cole Konrad, but he understands more than anyone how hard work and a commitment to excellence translates into success.
“I think it’s easier to be a vocal leader when you’ve been a national champion or have had the success Cole has had,” Nagel explained. “We have guys on this team that are going to win national championships in their careers. I try to lead by example because I’ve been around so long and been around so many great wrestlers in the past.”
Don’t get the wrong idea. Nagel knows he has what it takes to be there competing for a national title in March as evidenced by his overtime victory against defending NCAA Champion Johny Hendricks at the NWCA/Marines All-Star Classic in November. He also tallied another victory over his arch-nemesis, Mr. Paulson of Iowa State, at last week’s National Duals.
As with all journeys, this one is nearing its end, something that is not lost on the senior who graduates in May with a degree in Kinesiology with an eye on a Master’s Degree from the University.
“It seems like just yesterday I was moving into my freshman dorm with Tommy Owen,” Nagel said. “The time has flown by. Before I know it, it’s going to be March and then it will be over. It’s really starting to sink in that this is it. Now is the time that you have to put it all out there on the line. I just don’t want to have any regrets when I look back. No regrets.”
story by John Romo
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